Sweet lime - not just a sick time fruit
Very often we talk about oranges and lemon — one citrus fruit that does not get much press is Mosambi (sweet lime). Not much is known about it — so much so, that I don’t see too many fruit carts laden with this fruit anymore — unlike oranges or even Kinnow.
However, this fruit and its juice deserve to be known in a better light.
It starts with the misunderstood origin of the fruit — most people think that the origin of Mosambi is from Indonesia and China. However, reports show that this citrus fruit actually originated in the hills of Meghalaya and Nagaland. The jury is out of this one, but there is a clear verdict on the umpteen benefits of consuming this fruit and its juice. It is not just a ‘sick-time fruit’ — to be had when one is sick.
Mosambi is an extremely hydrating food — it not only quenches your thirst but also provides you with essential minerals and vitamins that reduce the risk of complications of dehydration.
A medium sized mosambi gives you only about 60-70 calories. Plus, it delivers lots of satiety due to its high water and fibre content. It is a great weight loss tool too — thanks to its high citric acid content, which curbs the hunger pangs and boosts our metabolism. If you are opting for the juice instead of the fruit, my suggestion is don’t strain your mousambi juice — you need the fibrous pulp. It will not only take care of your body’s daily fibre requirement but will also keep you satiated for longer. The fibre in it helps also helps to regulate normal digestion, keep the bowels healthy and prevent constipation.
As a rich source of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), the fruit is a harbinger of strong immunity. The fruit does the deed of supplying us with the daily required quantity of the water-soluble vitamin — our body cannot store it. Besides, the fruit delivers lots of potassium and some vitamin B, copper, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Sweet lime also contains folic acid — that helps to strengthen our bone and joints. Thanks to high potassium and other electrolytes, mosambi is also known to help reduce muscle cramps and hydrate the body well after a rigorous workout.
It is loaded with antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, regulate the immune system and increase resistance to infections, particularly from cold. Mosambi juice acts as a potent detoxifying agent as it helps flush out toxins and thus neutralize the harmful effects of junk eating, stress and pollution that most of us are guilty of.It contains limonenes — a family of chemicals that benefits our health. A limonene called d-limonene works as an anti-inflammatory agent and fights cancer growth (promotes the death of the cancer cells).
In sickness and in health
It’s true that mosambi actually helps better than other citrus fruits during sickness. It scores over other citrus fruits because it has a mild and palatable flavour, which people prefer when sick. Oranges and lemons can taste sour whereas sweet lime tastes sweet that is why a lot of people prefer it.
It is less acidic compared to oranges and lemons this helps reduce stomach acidity and make the stomach alkaline, thus helps in healing the painful peptic ulcers the sores that may develop along the lining of your stomach, upper intestine and the lining of your oesophagus, especially when one has gastro issues.
It is difficult to eat most foods when one is sick — mosambi helps in stimulation of the salivary glands to secrete enzymes, it is easy to digest. Plus, flavonoids in it help increase the levels of bile, certain stomach acids and digestive juices, which also together aid digestion. It has a high amount of potassium too that helps combat diarrhoea, or as a side effect of strong medicines. Potassium in it also helps prevents and treat dehydration, another very common side effect of most sickness. It also boosts the liver function; it gives a cooling effect that treats jaundice symptoms like fever and vomiting.
So eat sweet lime — peeled and raw as a snack, or cook it and preserve it as jam, or eat it as a part of your salad.
Have more of it every day, when in season, not just when you are sick.